


Yakov and Valentina and the Conversation No One Was Meant to Hear

by azriona



Series: The Next Level 'Verse [3]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Background Victuuri - Freeform, Backstory, Conversations, Deleted Scenes, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-01 22:20:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16292855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azriona/pseuds/azriona
Summary: Yakov and Valentina have a history. No, not that kind of history. It's still going to affect everyone else's future.





	Yakov and Valentina and the Conversation No One Was Meant to Hear

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes, when I'm writing a conversation that is meant to be only overheard by another character, I end up writing the conversation in full for myself. This is one of those cases. Valentina and Yakov discuss a few things in Chapter 26 of TNL. I ended up learning a few things about Valentina as I wrote; I hope you find them as interesting as I do.
> 
> Forgive the format of this conversation, it really wasn't meant to be anything more than a writing exercise, but I suspect some of you would enjoy seeing it.
> 
> (Side note: Bonus points if you catch the thing that was supposed to happen in this conversation and didn't!)

VALENTINA – Yakov! I tried to find you in your office.

YAKOV – I don’t like my office in the mornings. People have a tendency to find me there.

VALENTINA – I just wanted a word about the training schedule for the next few days.

YAKOV – Eh?

VALENTINA – I assume you’ll be giving Victor extra time to prepare Katsuki for the upcoming Four Continents competition?

YAKOV – Eh?

VALENTINA – There’s some concern that he may not be ready. As you know, his performances at Japanese Nationals were… subpar to what he is believed to be able to accomplish.

YAKOV – He got gold.

VALENTINA – Nationally, yes. But on an international level, he hasn’t shown much consistency as of yet. His short program fell far below his average score in Barcelona. We’d like to make sure that doesn’t happen again, particularly considering the change in his training regimen.

YAKOV – You mean, since he’s been receiving Russian coaching.

VALENTINA – Of course Katsuki benefits from all the available coaching here. But we’d like Victor to take the lead in his preparation.

YAKOV – “We.”

VALENTINA – I’ve been fielding quite a number of calls about it. It’s so hard to know what to tell them, Yakov, when you won’t allow me even the smallest peek inside your ice time…

YAKOV – You know as well as I do that none of my team would be able to concentrate, knowing that the Federation has their eyes constantly on their shoulders. The fact that you have an office in this building at all compromises their ability to train effectively—

VALENTINA – And also allows for a smoother transition from training to competition. But I’m not going to argue propriety with you, Yakov. I want your assurance that Victor’s primary focus in the next few days will be Katsuki Yuuri.

YAKOV (huffing) – As if that was ever in doubt.

VALENTINA – I’m sorry?

YAKOV – What you seem to forget, Valentina, is that Victor has his own upcoming competitions. He’s only barely finalized his free skate, he’s still committing his short program to muscle memory. He’s already losing nearly a week of ice time because of his stubborn insistence on training Katsuki; you cannot ask me to allow him an additional two days of inactivity and still expect him to perform up to his normal standards in another month! Even Victor Nikiforov himself can’t recreate an entire season’s worth of competitive pressure in two months of solid individualized practice!

VALENTINA – I understand that, Yakov. But I’m telling you—

YAKOV – And I’m telling you, no. He needs every single moment available to prepare. What you’re asking—

VALENTINA – (voice raised) It’s not a request, Yakov.

(silence)

VALENTINA – And it’s not me who is asking. 

YAKOV – (sighs) Valya…

VALENTINA – Don’t think I don’t hate this, Yasha.

YAKOV – I know.

VALENTINA – I think you forget.

YAKOV – I think you forget what it’s like in here most days.

VALENTINA – Of course I forget. You won’t let me back in to remember.

YAKOV – (pause) I object to this, Valya. Very strongly.

VALENTINA – But you’ll do it.

YAKOV – Do I have a choice?

VALENTINA – Not a good one, no. Will he refuse?

YAKOV – (snorts) Not likely.

VALENTINA – Yasha… it’s only two days. Will two days matter so very much, when there is still six weeks until Worlds?

YAKOV – Then you’ve decided? He’ll go?

VALENTINA – You know I can’t say. Even to you.

YAKOV – You ask me if two days matters? You.

VALENTINA – We’re not talking about me, Yasha. We’re talking about him. And he is a very, very different skater than either you or I ever were.

YAKOV – (sighs) I don’t know. It might not matter. It might make the difference between the podium and not. There was a tenth of a point between gold and silver in Barcelona. Who knows what two days means in one direction or the other?

VALENTINA – I’m sorry.

YAKOV – Are you?

VALENTINA – Don’t believe it, if it helps. But I am.

YAKOV – Valya…

VALENTINA – Do you know what he expected when he came back?

YAKOV – I don’t think he thought very hard about any of his decisions in the last year at all.

VALENTINA – I’ll do you a favor and not repeat that. 

YAKOV – You’d do me as much of a favor by leaving my rink.

VALENTINA – Immediately. But first… 

(She heads over to Victor and Yuuri, where they are stretching out by the side.)


End file.
